Underwater breathing device



y 10, 1956 A. F. VAN DER KOGEL 2,753,865

UNDERWATER BREATHING DEVICE Filed April 1, 1953 FIG. 2

FIG.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Albert F. Van der Kogel United States Patent UNDERWATER BREATHING DEVICE Albert F. Van der Kogel, Plandome, N. Y.

Application April 1, 1953, Serial No. 346,075

Claims. (Cl. 128-145) This invention relates to underwater breathing devices and more specifically to an underwater breathing device of the snorke type. By the use of such a device one may remain submerged indefinitely, for such devices have intake extensions which are adapted to extend upwardly when the device is in use to a point just above the surface of the water. The upper end of such a device is usually provided with a wave-stopper of one kind or another adapted to prevent water from splashing into the intake end of the device, which would interfere with the normal breathing of the submerged user.

The kind of snorkel type underwater breathing device with which this invention is more particularly concerned is the kind which may be used by a person swimming in a generally prone or horizontal position rather than one of the kind which might replace a diving helmet or the like, which is practically only useful where the user wishes to be in a vertical position under water; for instance, as when walking on the bottom.

The former kind of device generally includes an angled tubular member, one section of which is adapted to approach a nearly horizontal position in use, the other section being, when used, substantially vertical and extending to a point slightly above the surface of the water. Because of this angular construction such devices can be cumbersome, particularly if they are of a size that is to be used for swimming at any depth.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of my invention is to provide an underwater breathing device of the snorkel type for swimmers, which may be knocked down for packing or storage purposes. A related object of the invention is further to provide such a device, the substantially vertically disposed section of which is extensible, whereby the device as a whole may be readily adjusted for use by a swimmer at various depths.

In prior devices of the type with which this invention is concerned a further difiiculty has been encountered and that is in maintaining the wave-stopper section clean and free from debris. To overcome this disadvantage, I propose to employ a novel removable wave-stopper section which may be readily removed and cleaned.

Accordingly my invention comprises an underwater breathing device having a main tubular member on one end of which is mounted an exhaust valve and on the other end of which is telescopically mounted a second tubular member adapted to extend in a generally vertical direction when the device is in use. A lateral tubular extension is mounted on the main tubular member adjacent the end thereof carrying the exhaust valve, the interior of this extension being in communication with the interior of the main tubular member. A mouthpiece preferably made of rubber or some similar material is mounted on the free end of this extension. A wavestopper having a tubular section extending therefrom is removably mounted on the upper end of the aforementioned second tubular member. Advantageously the tubular section of the wave-stopper may be of some length and telescopically mounted whereby the substantially vertically upstanding portion of the device may be further extended if desired. Means is also supported by the main tubular member adjacent the mouthpiece-supporting extension for securing the device to the users goggle-mounting or the like. Advantageously this means is adjustable on the main tubular member.

For a more detailed understanding of my invention, reference may be made to the following more specific description of one embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation and partly in section of a complete device;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the wavestopper section of the device illustrating in dotted lines an extended positioning of the Wave-stopper on the device; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the section of the device supporting the mouthpiece and exhaust valve.

By reference to the drawing, it will be seen that the device includes a main angular tubular member indicated generally at 10 having arm portions 11 and 12. As seen in Fig. 1 the device is in a position which it would assume when in use. Hence arm portion 11 of angular member 10 extends generally vertically when in use, whereas arm portion 12 extends in a direction at about 30 below the horizontal. A lateral extension 13 extends from arm portion 12 adjacent the lower end thereof and supports on its free end a mouthpiece 14 of a conventional type. The mouthpiece may be made of rubber or other material which is suitable to be engaged by the users mouth. Studlike projections 15 extend outwardly from within the mouthpiece and are adapted to be received by the users teeth.

The interior of lateral extension 13 is of course in communication with the interior of the angular tubular member 10. A flap-type exhaust valve 16 made of very flexible material whereby it readily opens under a very low exhaust pressure is secured over the lower end of arm portion 12 of the main tubular member 10. To assure a firm retention of the exhaust valve on the tubular member, the end of the latter is provided with a flared out section or bead 17.

As may be seen in Fig. 1, the upper end of arm 11 of the main tubular member is beveled at 18. This providm for easy mounting of a second tubular member 19 telescopically on arm portion 11 of main tubular member 10. Both tubular member 19 and tubular member 10 are made of material which will give somewhat so that the inner diameter of tubular member 19 may be approximately equal to or perhaps a little less than the outer diameter of arm portion 11. Hence a tight but slidable fit results.

A wave-stopper device indicated generally at 20 and as most clearly seen in Fig. 2 is'provided for the upper end of tubular member 19. It comprises a cup-like cap member 21 and a tubular member 22. The cup member 21 fits over the end of tubular member 22 and is firmly secured thereto in any suitable manner as by adhesive placed between the bottom 23 of the cup-like member 21 and the end 24 of tubular member 22. A series of holes 25 extend through the wall of tubular member 22 within cup-like member 21 quite close to the bottom thereof. These holes permit the admission of air into tubular member 22, though when the device is in use the depending wall of cup-like member 21 prevents the admission of water into tubular member 22 which might otherwise enter thereinto as a result of the splashing of waves, etc. For this purpose the depending wall of cup-like member 21 lies closely adjacent the wall of tubular member 22.

As may be seen in Fig. 1, the lower end of the tubular member 22 is beveled at 26. This is to permit ready insertion of the tubular member 22 in the upper end of tubular member 19. As was the case with arm portion 11 of the main tubular member 10 and the extendable tubular member 19, the relative outer and inner diameters of tubular member 22 and tubular member 19 respectively are such that a tight though slidable fit is achieved.

A retaining ring 27 is slidably mounted on arm portion 12 of the main tubular member 10 and is adapted to be secured to the mask, goggles or the like of a user by a simple pin connection. This retaining ring is slidably mounted so that it may be moved to accommodate the different sizes of users heads or different positionings of a mask, goggles or the like.

It will be clear, it is thought, from the above description that when in use the device of this invention is readily adaptable for use in varying depths of water by reason of the extensibility of the substantially vertically upstanding section :thereof. It will of course be further clear that the device may be readily knocked down so as to require very little storage space when not in use. Further it will be noted that the wave-stopper section thereof is readily removable whereby should it become clogged with debris or the like, it may be readily cleaned.

It may be of interest to note that a user can completely submerge with a device of this type even to the extent of completely submerging the device without having water enterthe device, providing the opening in the mouthpiece is covered, for instance, by the users tongue, for an airblock will be readily formed in the cup-like section of the wave-stopper. Such an air-block may of course be effected only if the wave stopper is maintained in substantially upright position, that is, in a position in which the cup-like member is open-side-down. When the wavestopper section of the device again emerges above the surface of the water, the user may remove his tongue from the opening in the mouthpiece, and in the event a little water has trickled down into the device, may expel it by exhaling briefly but rapidly through the mouthpiece, thereby forcing the water through the exhaust valve.

Where the directional terms upper, lower, etc. have been employed throughout the description of the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing and in the appended claims, such terms are to be understood to be merely relative and for the purpose of more readily and clearly describing the invention and should not be interpreted to be in any way limitative of the invention. Furthermore, various changes and modifications may of course be made in the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated and described without departing from my invention, the scope of which is to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A knock-down underwater breathing device comprising a'main tubular member, an exhaust valve mounted on one end thereof, a laterally extending tubular extension mounted on said main tubular member adjacent the exhaust valve supporting end thereof, the interior of said extension being in communication with the interior of said main tubular member, a mouthpiece mounted on the free end of said extension, a second tubular member removably mounted on the other end of the main tubular member, and a wave-stopper removably mounted on the free end of said second tubular member, said second tubular member being telescopically and slidably mounted on said other end of the main tubular member.

2. An underwater breathing device according to claim 1 which includes a retaining ring slidably mounted on said main tubular member adjacent said extension, said ring being adapted to be secured to an accessory such as a mask normally worn on the users head and being slidable so that it may accommodate different users head sizes and different accessory mountings.

3. An underwater breathing device according to claim 1 in which the wave-stopper comprises a cup-like member and a tubular member having one end extending into and secured to the interior bottom of the cup-like member, the other end of said wave-stopper tubular member being adapted to telescopically and removably engage the free end of said second tubular member and the end of said wave-stopped tubular member extending into the cup-like member having a passage through that portion of its wall which is located within the cup-like member whereby air may be drawn into the interior of said wave-stopper tubular member through the cup-like member.

4. An underwater breathing device according to claim 3 in which the outer end of the wave-stopper tubular member and said other end of the main tubular member are beveled and are of such diameter that they tightly fit into the opposite ends of said second tubular member.

5. An underwater breathing device according to claim 4 in which the main tubular member has two arm portions angularly disposed with respect to each other, the second tubular member being mountable on one arm portion and the lateral extension, exhaust valve and retaining ring being mounted on the other arm portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 690,663 Pratt Jan. 7, 1902 FOREIGN PATENTS 422,610 Italy July 20, 1947 443,802 France July 22, 1912 

